Media Tree President Rob Watson gave a spirited presentation titled at the ASI Show San Diego, “Hot Niche Markets: Teens, Tweens and Twentysomethings.” Watson said teen spending is expected to grow to $151 billion by 2011. “You need to discover cool and hip products that engage this demographic,” he said. “This age bracket spends 164 minutes a day on the Internet, and more than 25% of this audience spends money online.”

Watson also said that the Internet is the primary source of entertainment for this age group. Because of the high usage of the Internet, he said using creative ways to engage this market is vital. “You can increase online response rates by giving a free gift instantly for participating in a sweepstakes,” he said. “Teens and tweens like to feel in control, and the number one premium with this age group is music.”

Philanthropy is another area that teens and tweens are big on. “People like to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves and they want to give back,” Watson said. “They have high disposable income, and they’re the future.”